Russia warns US military aid to Ukraine increases risk of direct military clash

The US decision to send more military aid to Ukraine "increases the danger of a direct military clash" between Russia and the West, Moscow has warned.

Russia's ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, warned that the US decision "to continue pumping the Kiev regime with heavy weapons only secures Washington's status as a participant of the conflict".

He said this would result in "protracted bloodshed and new casualties".

"We call on Washington to stop its provocative actions that could lead to the most serious consequences," the Russian ambassador said.

Earlier, US President Joe Biden announced Washington will provide Ukraine with $625 million in new military aid, including High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers.

In all, Washington has committed nearly $17 billion in military support for Kyiv since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a military operation against Ukraine on 24 February.

US-supplied HIMARS missiles have played a key role as Ukrainian forces continue to fight off Russia, according to American officials.

The Pentagon has said Ukraine is "effectively employing" the lightweight mobile launchers and precision-strike munitions produced in Lockheed Martin facilities.

This package is the first aid package since Putin signed a decree for the formal accession of four regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia to the Russian Federation.

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